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Cities #WithRefugees

Cities #WithRefugees

UNHCR’s #WithRefugees campaign invites cities and local authorities all over the world who are working to promote inclusion, support refugees and bring communities together to sign a statement of solidarity #WithRefugees. Please join us today.
A man creates a mural on a wall.

Greece. Art collective create mural at hospital in Thessaloniki.

A growing number of cities around the world are embracing refugees. Find out how cities all over the world are helping the forcibly displaced.
See the list of Cities #WithRefugees

Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abuja, Nigeria

Adana, Mediterranean Region, Turkey

Aix-les-Bains, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Alba, Provincia di Cuneo, Italy

Albuquerque, NM, USA

Albury City, New South Wales, Australia

Altena, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Anchorage, AK, USA

Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Annemasse, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines

Arauca, Colombia

Arica, Arica y Parinacota Region, Chile

Athens, Attica, Greece

Atlanta, GA, USA

Arua, Uganda

Baku, Azerbaijan

Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Batumi, Georgia

Batouri, East Region, Cameroon

Berbera, Sahil, Somaliland/Somalia

Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy

Berlin, Germany

Bern, Switzerland

Bertoua, East Region, Cameroon

Biograd na Moru, Croatia

Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Borama, Somalia

Bosaso District, Bari, Somalia

Bosilegrad, Serbia

Bradford, Yorkshire and the Humber, UK

Braga, Norte Region, Portugal

Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo

Brighton, South East England, UK

Bristol, South West England, UK

Bruges, Flemish Region, Belgium

Brussels, Belgium

Bucharest, Romania

Buenos Aires City, Argentina

Buffalo, NY, USA

Bunkyō, Japan

Bursa, Marmara, Turkey

Byron, New South Wales, Australia

Cachoeirinha, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Cainta, Rizal, Philippines

Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

Canelones, Uruguay

Canterbury Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia

Canberra, Australia

Cardinia, Victoria, Australia

Casino, New South Wales, Australia

Chicago, IL, USA

Chula Vista, CA, USA

Clarkston, GA, USA

Crescent City, CA, USA

Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica

Dallas, TX, USA

Darebin, Victoria, Australia

Del Norte County, CA, USA

Denver, CO, USA

Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Desamparados, San José, Costa Rica

Dilijan, Tavush Province, Armenia

Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Djohong, Adamawa Region, Cameroon

Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon

Drummondville, Quebec, Canada

Dublin, Leinster, Ireland

Dudelange, Luxembourg

Duhok Governorate, Iraq

Durham, NC, USA

East Region, Cameroon

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Erbil, Iraq

Escazú, San José, Costa Rica

Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Evanston, IL, USA

Fongo-Tongo, Cameroon

Fribourg, Switzerland

Gabiley, Somalia

Galway, Connacht, Ireland

Ganja, Azerbaijan

Garoua-Boulai, East Region, Cameroon

Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Gaziantep, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Gananoque, Ontario, Canada

Ghent, Flemish Region, Belgium

Government of the province of Salta, Argentina

Grande-Synthe, Hauts-de-France, France

Graz, Styria, Austria

Greater Dandenong, Victoria, Australia

Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada

Hangu District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Hargeisa, Somaliland

Haripur, Khyber, Pakistan

Goris/ Syunik Province, Armenia

Gjirokaster, Albania

Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Guiuan Eastern Samar, Philippines

Gyumri, Shirak, Armenia

Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Hiroshima, Japan (President City of Mayors for Peace)

Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Houston, TX, USA

Hrazdan, Kotayk Province, Armenia

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK

Innsbruck, Austria

Imus, Philippines

Ioannina, Greece

Istanbul, Turkey

Jackson, WY, USA

Jacksonville, FL, USA

Jijiga, Ethiopia

Joliette, Quebec, Canada

Jonava District Municipality, Lithuania

Kabul, Afghanistan

Kamakura City, Japan

Kalumbila town Council, Zambia

Kampala, Central Region, Uganda

Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Kapan, Armenia

Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Kelowna, BC, Canada

Kentzou, East Region, Cameroon

Kette, East Region, Cameroon

Kigali, Rwanda

Kilis, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Koboko, Uganda

Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Konya, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Kortrijk, Flemish Region, Belgium

La Louvière, Wallonia, Belgium

Lagos, Nigera

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Lakki Marwat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Lane Cove, New South Wales, Australia

Larissa, Greece

Lausanne, canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Leicester, East Midlands, UK

Leuven, Flemish region, Belgium

Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Limerick City & County Council, Ireland

Livadia, Boeotia, Greece

Ljubljana, Slovenia

London, UK

Los Angeles County, USA

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Los Chiles, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Louisville, KY, USA

Lower Dir District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Madison, WI, USA

Madrid, Spain

Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia

Malakand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Malevizi, Greece

Manchester, North West England, UK

Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Masis, Ararat Province, Armenia

Marinka, Donetsk, Ukraine

Mariupol, Donetsk, Ukraine

Marrakech, Morocco

Matosinhos, Norte Region, Portugal

Mechelen, Flemish Region, Belgium

Medenine, Tunisia

Medellin, Colombia

Meiganga, Adamawa Region, Cameroon

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Metropolis, IL, USA

Mexico City, Mexico

Milan, Lombardie, Italy

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Mingachevir, Azerbaijan

Minneapolis, MN, USA

Missoula, MT, USA

Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia

Mogadishu, Benaadir, Somalia

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Mons, Hainaut, Belgium

Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica

Montevideo, Uruguay

Montgomery County, MD, USA

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Nagasaki city, Japan

Naintré, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Nakano, Japan

Namur, Wallonia, Belgium

Naples, Campania, Italy

Nashville, TN, USA

Nea Ionia, Greece

Neapoli, Greece

New York, NY, USA

Ngaoui, Adamawa Region, Cameroon

Niamey, Niger

Nicosia, Cyprus

Niederanven, Luxemburg

Ogoja, Cross River State, Nigeria

Okayama, Japan

Ōmura City, Japan

Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

Paris, Île-de-France, France

Paterson, NJ, USA

Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Pessat-Villeneuve, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Podgorica, Montenegro

Port Moody, BC, Canada

Prince Albert, SK, Canada

Providence, RI, USA

Puerto Asís, Putumayo, Colombia

Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

Quezon City, Philippines

Quibdó, Chocó Department, Colombia

Quilicura, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile

Quito, Pichincha Province, Ecuador

Randwick, New South Wales, Australia

Renens, Vaud, Switzerland

Reykjanesbær, Iceland

Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Richmond, VA, USA

Rimouski, QC, Canada

Rochester, NY, USA

Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

Saint-Genis-Pouilly, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada

Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Canada

Salt Lake County, UT, USA

Saltillo, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico

San Mateo, CA. USA

San Antonio, TX, USA

San Diego, CA, USA

San Fernando, La Union, Philippines

San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines

San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Philippines

San José, Alajuela, Costa Rica

San Luis Province, Argentina

Şanlıurfa, Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Santa Ana, Pampanga, Philippines

Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippines

Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines

São Paulo, Brazil

Setouchi City, Japan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Sauverny, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Schuttrange, Luxemburg

Sergy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Sfax, Tunisia

Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber, UK

Shibuya, Japan

Sioux Falls, SD, USA

Soja, Japan

South Orange, NJ, USA

Sapporo, Japan

Setagaya, Japan

St. Cloud, MN, USA

St. Louis, MO, USA

St. Paul, MN, USA

State of Cross Rivers, Nigeria

Strasbourg, Alsace, France

Summerland, British Columbia, Canada

Sumqayit, Azerbaijan

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Swat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Tbilisi, Georgia

Toyoake city, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Thessaloniki, Greece

Tilos, Greece

Tirana, Albania

Torino, Piedmont, Italy

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Trikala, Greece

Touboro, North Region, Cameroon

Tsuruga City, Japan

Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Union City, CA, USA

Upala, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Valencia, Spain

Valle del Guamez, Putumayo, Colombia

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Vardenis, Gegharkunik province, Armenia

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada

Vienna, Austria

Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines

Villa Alemana, Valparaíso Region, Chile

Warsaw, Mazovia Province, Poland

Wausau, Wisconsin

Whittlesea, Victoria, Australia

Wiltz, Luxembourg

Winooski, VT, USA

Yerevan, Armenia

Yokadouma, East Region, Cameroon

Yokohama City, Japan

Zamboanga City, Philippines

Zurich, Switzerland

We, mayors and local authorities from around the world, stand #WithRefugees. The role of towns, cities, counties and provinces in creating inclusive communities and promoting hope has never been as important. Refugees leave nearly everything behind to seek safety: their homes, their jobs, and sometimes even their families. Despite the unimaginable sacrifices refugees make to find safety, many keep their hopes and dreams for the future. Refugees’ will to survive and their drive to help their families and communities prosper are not easily extinguished by adversity.

When refugees arrive to a new country, nearly two out of three settles in an urban area. As cities, we are undeniably at the forefront of refugee crises, and our communities benefit from their tenacity and courage. Welcoming refugees creates opportunities for economic, civic and social growth. The diversity of experiences and ideas refugees bring spurs creativity and innovation. For example, both Albert Einstein and Sergey Brin were refugees. Their contributions did not just change our communities; they changed the course of human history.

As cities, we are constantly working to improve our infrastructure, services, and administrative systems in order to meet governance challenges, such as incorporating large inflows of new residents. This work is critical to our shared future. As leaders, we have a responsibility to receive and include new residents with care in order for our cities to become stronger and more resilient to change. Ultimately, those among us who rise to this call for leadership will reap the benefits of societies that are the most productive, the most modern, and the most filled with promise.

As local authorities, we shoulder the enormous responsibility of providing access to housing, health care, education, skills training, and employment opportunities for newcomers and long-term residents alike. Solutions to refugee crises start at the local level and require that everyone plays a part: every city, every neighbourhood, and every individual can contribute. As leaders, we must create spaces where everyone can live in safety, become self-reliant, and contribute to and participate in their local community.

The vital work that cities do can be a model for others, forging a path forward as national governments created and adopted a Global Compact on Refugees to strengthen international crisis response. Our work as mayors and city authorities is primarily local, but when we are united in purpose with each other and our refugee, internally displaced and stateless residents, the impact of our solidarity will be global.

Join us and stand #WithRefugees. Together we can make a world of difference.

(ex: Mayor)
(ex: @nycgov)
(ex: @AmsterdamNL) Please specify the social media account.